Mom had argued with boy friend before disappearing

As authorities re-examined her Hightstown, N.J. apartment, reports surfaced yesterday that a missing New Jersey mom, a Staten Island native, argued with her child's father about breaking off their extramarital affair during the week she vanished.

Amy Giordano, 27, has not been seen since June 7, when she was caught by surveillance cameras shopping with her 11-month-old baby, and the boy's father, a 32-year-old married man, Rosario "Roy" DiGirolamo. Two days later, the boy was found abandoned in the parking lot of a Delaware hospital with a hand scribbled note left in his diaper. DiGirolamo flew to Italy on June 14, the day police connected the baby to his parents, and has not been heard from since.

The car DiGirolamo drove, a 1998 Lexus sedan registered in his wife's name, was ditched on a Midland Beach street, and found by police June 26. The car yielded no clues to Ms. Giordano's whereabouts, police said.

A close friend of Ms. Giordano's later told investigators that Ms. Giordano fought with DiGirolamo about ending their three-year relationship during the week of her disappearance, Delaware State Police spokesman Cpl. Jeff Whitmarsh said.

"It was a discussion about Amy leaving (DiGirolamo)," Whitmarsh said.

So far, Ms. Giordano has been considered a missing person. But New Jersey State Police spokesman described yesterday search of Ms. Giordano's apartment as a "comprehensive forensic examination of a potential crime scene."

Investigators found "minuscule" traces blood, and took samples of water from the apartment, which was leased and paid for by DiGirolamo.

DiGirolamo has been charged with felony reckless endangerment and misdemeanor child abandonment by Delaware police. Both Delaware and New Jersey authorities said they may enlist the aid of Interpol -- the international police agency -- to help bring DiGirolamo back to the United States.